The Whooves Collection Ep4: A Starlit Wreck
by The Writer in Black
Summary: The time travelers receive a distress call from the future, leading them to a desert planet. There they encounter a search team that's investigating the wreck of the largest ship in the universe. And they're receiving the same distress call that's emitting from the bridge of the ship. They enter the wreck to find the source of the signal, but find that it holds many more secrets.
1. Prologue

******_The Whooves Collection: Episode Four_**

_**A Starlit Wreck**_

_**Prologue**_

**Deep Space; TARDIS; Control Room**

_VVRROOMMP! VVRROOMMP! VVRROOMMP!_

The TARDIS aimlessly drifted through the infinite void called space, its rotations gentle and rhythmic. Within the vessel, its inhabitants were working away at whatever it was that they needed to work on. Farsight sat on the catwalk, prodding at the vortex manipulator melded to his left leg. Twilight and the Doctor were standing at the controls, the former instructing the latter on the proper way to hold objects in his hooves. Right now, the Doctor was working on grabbing his sonic screwdriver within his right hoof.

"Almost... got it..." he fumbled around for a few seconds before the screwdriver remained within his grasp. "HA-HA!" he cheered.

"That's it!" Twilight congratulated him. "Now you can take on the universe!"

"Thank you, Miss Sparkle. Things should be much easier now," he said.

**_BBRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNGG!_**

Each of the ponies' heads jerked up, the Doctor's especially.

**_BBRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNGG!_**

"Doctor," Twilight started, "what is that?"

The Doctor slowly stepped down from the main control panels and inched down the walkway towards the doors.

**_BBRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNGG!_**

"Really, Doctor," now Farsight spoke up as well, "what _is_ it?"

The Doctor reached the doors and cautiously reached for the phone within.

**_BBRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNGG!_**

"That, my friends," the Doctor finally answered, picking the black earpiece up off of the device, "is impossible." He held the small object up to his ear, thanks to the newfound deftness with his hooves.

**_"Doctor, come quick!"_** the entire interior of the TARDIS was suddenly filled with the exclamation of distress, causing the Doctor to tear the earpiece away in alarm. **_"This is a priority one emergency! We need your help! Alert code number: 4, 1, 8, 3, 0!"_**

Each of the ship's occupants froze.

"More numbers, Doctor," Twilight said with alarm.

"Not again!" Farsight moaned as he put his head in his hooves.

**_"This is a priority one emergency! We need your help! Alert code number: 4, 1, 8, 3, 0!"_** the voice repeated.

With alarming speed, the Doctor rushed to the control monitor and started tapping away at the keyboard. Twilight came up behind him and glanced at the screen, but turned back to the Doctor when she couldn't read the circular symbols. "What are you doing?" she questioned.

"Answering a distress call!" The Doctor replied hastily. He ran over to the levers and switches, activating them with practiced precision.

Farsight was still up on the catwalk as the Doctor worked. "We're going _towards_ the source of those numbers?!"

"Exactly, Miss Sparkle!"

The Doctor threw a switch and the TARDIS shook, its occupant's tossed about. Twilight fell to the floor and Farsight was thrown backwards and crashed into the wall.

"Remind me to buck you, later," Farsight grumbled in pain.

"I'll think about it!" the Doctor shouted back.

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; Rescue Station 2; 10,384 C.E.**

The hot, desert winds battered the base on the planet's surface, heating the steel. It would have been baking the occupants within had there been no air conditioning. A small platoon populated the headquarters, carrying out basic duties and tasks. Inside a room lined with a large bank of computers, monitors, and communication equipment, a dark blue mare with a red and yellow mane sat at a desk, checking chart containing thermal feed from the planet's surface. A small patch of red emitted from over one hundred meters down.

"It's getting late," she said to herself, "you should really get to bed." The mare rubbed her eyes with one hoof while picking up a cup of coffee in the other. She took a long swig from the small cylinder and gently set it back down on the desk.

A knock from behind her made her look up and turn around. In the doorway stood a stallion with a light blue coat and black mane. "You still up, Streak?" he questioned. He crossed the length of the room in a couple hoofsteps and stood next to the mare, planting a small kiss on her cheek. "You should get some sleep," he said softly.

Streak smiled in response, "I'll sleep when we open the doors to the ship that's sitting outside."

"We've been trying for days," the stallion sighed, giving her a caring expression. "Besides, the codes the builder gave us aren't doing anything."

"But every day we try, we get even closer to unlocking them," Streak replied. She gave a sigh of her own, turning to the stallion, "I just want to know what's inside, Richter."

Richter grinned, but on the inside he was fighting with himself. _"Should I ask her?"_ he thought. But he was cut short as the computers flared to life, whirring and beeping furiously. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Not sure," Streak replied, working quickly with the settings as a sort of static was emitting from the intercom system. As streak struggled to figure out what the source was, another pony entered. He had a black coat, a white mane that hung limply beside his head, and a crossed daggers cutie mark.

"What's going on?" he questioned, "That noise is going throughout the entire base!"

"Were not sure," Richter replied, "Streak's trying to decode it." The both watched the mare earnestly as she adjusted the dials and switches. Slowly, the static became clearer, shaping into a barely distinguishable voice.

**_"... priority one emergency! We need your help! Alert code number: 4, 1, 8, 3, 0!"_**

The three ponies exchanged mystified glances. "What is that?" Richter asked.

"Distress call," Streaker answered, "but it's not just for us." Immediately, the two stallions looked at her for an explanation. "It's bouncing off our comms," she told them, "somepony's trying to use our tech."

"Well... where is it coming from?" the black pony asked.

Streak's expression turned serious. "It's coming from the ship."

"But that's impossible," Richter sputtered, "the ship's wrecked. It was buried beneath the crust when it crashed over two decades ago."

Streak turned back to the control bank and stared at the thermal image one more time. The hot zone appeared to glow brighter as she stared at it, "I know."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I had to get my ideas in order before I could post this._


	2. Introductions

******_Chapter 1_**

_**Introductions**_

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; One Mile from Rescue Station 2; 10,384 C.E.**

_VVRROOMMP! VVRROOMMP! VVRROOMMP!_

The TARDIS slowly materialized on the planet's surface and it solidified. The blue form adding a twinge of color to the stark contrast of the desert sands. Inside of the vessel, Twilight was slumped over the railing on the central platform, Farsight was picking himself up off the floor, his wings splayed, and the Doctor was lying on the central platform and laughing.

"That was exciting!" he exclaimed.

"Easy for you to say," Twilight groaned, slowly easing herself off of the rail.

"Is it always that rough," Farsight asked with his own groan.

"Yes," Twilight replied.

"Well!" the Doctor exclaimed, ending the conversation between the unicorn and pegasus, "How was that for exciting?"

The grey pegasus groaned, "Where are we, Doctor?"

"_When_ are we?" the lavender unicorn elaborated.

The Doctor squinted at the control monitor. "We are in the year 10,384 Celestian Era," he read. "As for where we are, we're on the planet of... Castron, within the... Sterret solar system. Well, Twilight, it seems that you're a long way from home. Over half of this universe, actually."

Twilight's ears perked up and she turned around. "Did you say 'planet?'" she asked inquisitively.

The Doctor thought for a moment, "I believe I did, yes."

"A d-d-... different pl-planet?!" Farsight stammered.

Twilight beamed and pointed to the doors, "You mean to say that behind those doors... there's a completely new world?!"

"Indeed," the Doctor mused, "I see that you're excited."

Twilight was excitedly jogging in place, "Can we go see?! Can we, can we, can we?!" she asked as excited as a school filly waiting for recess.

The Doctor slowly broke into a wide smile, "Why not!"

"Do I even have any say in this?" Farsight questioned them both.

**_=Location Unknown=_**

A middle-aged stallion sat in front of a large display screen, watching it with undying interest. The illumination from the monitor made his maroon coat look bright red, while his silver mane scattered little clusters of light throughout the room. Other than the screen, a large, broken lamp sat on a metal table. The porcelain covering had shattered ages ago and the wires were plainly visible, but the bulb still worked, casting an eerie glow around the room.

The pony stared at the object on the screen. "They're fast," he chuckled to himself. "Then again, I expected no less from the Lord of Time, himself." Suddenly, his chuckles shifted to a racking cough, making him double over in pain. The coughing slowly subsided, turning into small fits of wheezes as he steadied himself. The stallion returned his gaze to the display and watched as the doors to the blue box opened, revealing a smiling, lavender unicorn. Moments later, a brown earth pony stood beside her, his face holding the same expression of giddiness.

"That's right, Doctor..." he said quietly, "... you're almost there."

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; One Mile from Rescue Station 2; 10,384 C.E.**

"This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when you mentioned 'different planet,'" Twilight complained, her smile vanishing while instantly being replaced by a frown.

"Actually, _Farsight_ said 'different planet,'" the Doctor corrected, "_I_ just said '_planet_.' But how does it feel...?" he asked her, "... Being on a new world?"

Twilight beamed and lifted her head to the clear sky and exclaimed, "It's exhilarating! But still," Twilight continued, turning back to face the Doctor "A desert isn't exactly interesting. It looks more like Saddle Arabia then a completely new section of the universe."

"'_Saddle_ Arabia?'" the Doctor chortled, "I really should go on a worldwide endeavor if we ever return to your planet."

"Can I say something?" Farsight came up behind the two, "Why are we even _on_ this... planet?"

"The distress call was being sent from this planet," the Doctor explained, "and, judging from the TARDIS readings that I checked just moments ago, I presume that we're quite close to the source."

"How close?" Twilight asked.

"I'd say that it could be at least a mile or two." Farsight and Twilight both gave huffs of annoyance. "What?" the Doctor said defensively, "I'm not always perfect."

"Like when you said that I had been gone a few minutes and it turned into a few days?" Twilight pointed out.

"Shush," the Doctor retorted.

"Not that this isn't interesting..." Farsight said sarcastically, "... but I'm going back inside if that's okay with y-"

"_HALT!_"

Twilight, Farsight, and the Doctor instantly did so.

"Who's there?" the Doctor called out into the waste, seeing no one.

"Station two, this is Browning," a male voice said from nowhere, surprising the trio again.

A second of silence passed. Suddenly, there was a bit of static before a newer, female voice sounded, it's pitch tinny and electronic. _"We read you, Browning. State your info."_

"Yeah, I've just found the source of the disruption," the stallion's voice replied, "there's three ponies here, but I'm not sure where they came from."

More static, _"Do they have a ship with them?"_

"I don't know," the stallion said. "They came out of a small blue box that appeared out of nowhere."

"Um, hello?" the Doctor waved out toward the desert, hoping to find the source of the voice. "Where are you exactly?"

"Should we?" a different voice asked, this one female.

"Alright," the male voice allowed, "but don't take your sights off them."

A haze briefly shrouded two small portions of the desert and, as it cleared, revealed two ponies, one stallion and one mare, clad in black, special operations suits. They both wore matching black helmets that were a cross between gas masks and visored helmets. The glass was night black and prevented anyone from seeing inside. What was more shocking was the sets of tube-like devices mounted on their backs like saddlebags, and they were pointed right at Twilight, Farsight, and the Doctor.

"State your names, ranks, and intents," the stallion asked, nodding his head while he spoke.

"Uh, the Doctor," the Doctor responded, "a doctor, and, well... answering a distress call."

"Twilight Sparkle," she said, "personal protégé of Princess Celestia, and... what the Doctor said."

Farsight smiled sheepishly, "I'm Farsight, and, um, I'm... with them..."

The stallion inclined his head slightly. "Captain, this is Browning," he spoke.

There was more static, _"Reading you, Browning. What's the situation?"_

"The ponies here have revealed their names..." he explained, "... and one of them is calling himself 'The Doctor.'"

There were several moments of silence. The static returned, _"Bring them in. Both of you. And you can lay down arms."_

"Yes, Captain," the mare said. Immediately, the two pairs of tubing whizzed and retracted into small pockets in both of the ponies' suits. "Firearms deactivated," the mare confirmed. "Now," she pointed a hoof at the trio, "you shall come with us to our station."

The Doctor gave an enthusiastic smile. "In that case," he looked to Twilight and Farsight before turning back to the suited strangers, "take us to your leader."

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; Rescue Station 2; 10,384 C.E.**

The large, steel doors slid open with a hiss, revealing a cluttered control room, with ponies of several hues and colors training their eyes upon them. The suited stallion, Browning, stepped through the doors first, followed by the Doctor, Twilight, Farsight, and lastly, the mare, who had given her name to be Light Heart. The other ponies numbered nearly twenty-five, with a little over half of them wearing special gear that was similar to Browning's and Light Heart's.

The Doctor and Twilight followed Browning through the room, passing all of the ponies on their way. One pony even gave a small salute as they passed him. The small procession reached a second set of doors which opened, showing a trio of ponies: one mare and two stallions. The mare was sitting at a brightly polished, wooden desk and had a dark blue coat with a red and yellow mane and tail, but her cutie mark was hidden under her operations suit. The first stallion stood at her right and had a light blue coat with a black mane, while the one on her left had a black coat with a flat, white mane.

"So, you're the Doctor?" the mare asked.

"I would hope so," the Doctor replied.

She nodded, "I'm Leiutenant Colonel Bright Streak." The mare pointed to the stallion on her right, "This is Major Richter, my second in command..." she pointed to the stallion on her left, "... and this is Sir Held Fast. He is the chief architect for Celestial Star-Liners, Universal."

"Pleasure to meet you all," the Doctor smiled.

"The same," Twilight said. Farsight kept behind the duo and remained silent.

"I understand that you're following a distress call," Streak spoke up.

"Indeed, we were," the Doctor stated. "Have you seen anyone in distress?" he asked, looking around the room. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"This distress call..." Streak started, "... did it happen to mention the emergency code 4-1-8-3-0?" At the mention of this, the travelers immediately gave Streak their full attention.

"How do you know?" Twilight asked, dumbfounded.

"Yesterday evening," Richter explained, "a foreign signal used our communications to beam a message out into space. We weren't sure who or what the sender was trying to notify, but" he gestured to the Doctor, "I suppose we know now."

"Wait," the Doctor held up a hoof, "you mean to say that a distress call was relayed off of your equipment and beamed out into space? Towards me?"

"We would assume so," Held Fast commented, "considering the fact that it was addressed to you."

Twilight nodded. "It did ask you to come, Doctor," she said to the time traveler.

"Very true, Miss Sparkle," he acknowledged.

"Now," Streak cut into the exchange, "who would be calling y-"

A loud whine suddenly began to emit from the intercom system within the base. The pitch was so loud that everypony covered their ears to dampen the noise.

"Celestia-dammit," Richter swore. "Not again."

_"Sorry, sorry,"_ a voice made itself known through the squeal, _I just have to... adjust the feed..."_ Gradually, the whine decreased in frequency until there was a low buzz of static, permitting everyone to remove their hooves from their ears. The sound of somepony clearing their throat was heard through the speakers. _"My apologies for the noise, as well as the interruption. Your communication mainframe was a tough nut to crack, if I do say so."_

"Who is that?" Twilight inquired.

_"I, Miss Twilight Sparkle,"_ the voice proclaimed, _"am the last breathing survivor of the S.S. Starlight."_

Twilight froze. "How do you know my name?" she asked fearfully.

_"The same way I know everyponys' names. I ask them,"_ he said nonchalantly.

"May _we_ ask _your_ name?" the Doctor asked the mysterious speaker.

_"Somepony told me never to speak my name,"_ the voice said.

"And who told you that?"

_"You did, Doctor."_ He laughed happily for a couple moments, _"It has been far too long old friends."_

* * *

_A/N: Took me a bit longer then I anticipated, but I made the chapter. Reviews encouraged._


	3. The SS Starlight

_**Chapter 2**_

_**The S.S. Starlight**_

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; Rescue Station 2; 10,834 C.E.**

There was stunned silence for what felt like hours. The Doctor looked around the room in surprise, searching for the source of the voice.

_"Hello...?"_ the voice asked uncertainly, _"Is anypony still there...?"_

Twilight shook her head, freeing her from her state of paralyzation. "How could you know the Doctor?" she asked quizzically, "We haven't met whoever... you... are, yet!"

_"Of course you ha-"_ he paused. _"Wait. You mean you_ don't _know who I am?"_

The Doctor let out an exasperated sigh, "Wibbly-wobbly-"

_"-timey-wimey,"_ the voice finished. _"I know. You told me. Or at least you will..."_ he huffed.

"What do you mean 'wibbly-wobbly... time... whatever?" Twilight turned to face the Doctor.

"Time travel," he replied, "I never seem to meet anyone in the right order."

"Oh. It must be terrible."

"Especially at weddings," the Doctor said.

"Sorry to interrupt your banter," Streak said, her tone obviously indicating the opposite meaning, "but what gives you the right to disrupt our communications, and how?!" she questioned sternly.

_"One, you're not sorry, and two, I did, so shush,"_ he scolded playfully. _"Your communication firewalls' pass code was a cinch, and the transmitter circuits were mere foal's play. You'd be amazed at what some computer hacking, duct tape, and a sonic screwdriver could do. Oh, and, before you ask, Cap, Captain, and fun."_

Streak had her mouth open in shock. "B- but that security tech is impossible to break through! It had been tested and re-tested countless times. Nopony had been able to break through!"

"What was that last bit: 'Cap, captain, and fun?'" Richter asked confusedly, ignoring Streak. Everypony else exchanged confused glances, as well.

_"I assumed you were going to ask my name, rank, and intention,"_ the newly identified Cap explained happily,_"so I gave it to you, respectively."_ A sudden cough rang out on his end, but it was brief and quickly forgotten.

Richter opened his mouth to speak, but instead ran to the doors that led to the main center. They quickly hissed open and he poked his head out. "Someone pull up the Starlight's manifest!" he ordered. "I want any information on crew, passengers, cargo, or any spare parts that thing had!"

"Yes, sir!" a slightly smaller earth-pony stallion hurriedly answered. The recruit scampered off, followed by two others.

Richter nodded and returned to the room. "We're going to be sure that he's the real deal," he explained to the gathered ponies.

_"Fine,"_ the voice of Cap said in an offended tone. _"But I'll be on that list!"_

"We shall see," said Streak. Her discomfort with this vocal intruder was growing each passing moment.

"You have a sonic screwdriver?" the Doctor asked in surprise.

_"Oh, yes. Made it myself,"_ Cap said proudly. _"It's a copy of your own, actually._

"I'm sure that I don't just _give_ you the schematics."

_"Spoilers."_

Seconds later, the same, smaller earth pony that had responded to Richter's orders stepped through the steel doors. "Major Richter, we have checked the manifest and crew records."

The Doctor was surprised, but grinned at the speed and efficiency. "Really? That was fast! Then, what were the results?" he asked before Richter had the chance.

"There _is_ a 'Cap' on the list sir," the pony answered, looking at Richter, "and he was listed as the captain of the Starlight."

_"Just like I said,"_ the captain's voice said smugly.

_"Now... would you be so kind as to help me get out of here?"_

"Out of where?" Twilight asked.

"He means out of the Starlight," Held Fast spoke. Everyone turned to face the formerly reserved stallion.

"Speaking of which," the Doctor spoke, "What is this 'Starlight?'"

"The Starlight," Held bgan to explain, "was a research and exploration vessel. A class five starship and the largest, no, most massive ship in the history of the Great Equestrian Empire. The ship itself was 8,000 meters long, 800 meters high, and 800 meters wide. It was privately funded, and one of our company's greatest works, if I do say so myself."

"Then why does he need to get out?" Twilight asked.

Now, Streak opened her mouth to speak. _"Because it crashed,"_ Cap added blatantly, cutting her off before she got the chance. _"Believe me, the re-entry into the atmosphere was quite painful."_ The sounds of scratching could be heard, or it could have been static. _"It did a number on my wings."_

"So you're a pegasus?" Twilight asked curiously.

_"Alicorn, my dear,"_ he replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Twilight suddenly entered a semi-shocked state. "B-but... how can you be an a-alicorn?! I thought only princesses could be alicorns?!"

_"Really? You're_ that _sexist?"_ Cap asked, obviously offended by the remark. _"It's called evolution. Over the years, more ponies of separate species bred, and alicorns came about. I can give you the more elaborate version, but I'm worried that I'd scare the kids."_

The Doctor put a hoof to his snout and began thinking. "If the ship crashed, then why didn't we see any wreckage? A ship with those dimensions would be easily visible from a mile away."

"It's been buried under the sand for over two decades," Streak explained. Twilight and the Doctor were surprised, but Streak continued, "It wrecked about twenty-five years ago, but the home-box wasn't picked up until about a month ago. The internal wiring was faulty and it had been drifting in deep space since the crash."

_"So_ that's_ why I had to use the emergency line!"_ Cap exclaimed in revelation. _"It's really been twenty five years? What day is it?"_ he asked.

The Doctor checked the watch wrapped around his right hoof. "July fifth, 10,834, Celestian Era," he read.

_"Splendid!"_ Cap cheered while clapping was heard on the other end, _"It's my birthday, today!"_

The ponies all exchanged glances, while the Doctor suddenly stopped. "Wait..." he started, "... you've been inside that ship for over _twenty years_?!"

_"And I still have my wits about me! Mostly,"_ he admited. _"Now, could we please redirect the topic to rescuing me, please?"_ he asked hopefully.

"But you're impossible!" Streak interjected. Everypony looked over at her after the sudden outburst.

"Wh-what do y-you mean, imp-possible?" Farsight stammered. Held Fast cast the unsure pony a sideways glance that made him shrink back slightly, silencing him immediately and for many moments to come.

Richter exhaled, "The home-box may have had faulty wiring, but the message was intact. The data recorded that... no one had survived."

"In the nine hundred years of my life I've learned that nothing is impossible," the Doctor stated.

Twilight faced the Doctor with a confused expression. "Nine hundred years?" she asked uncertainly.

"I never told you?" he said with a bemused expression.

_"She doesn't know how old you are?"_ Cap's tone indicated sincere surprise. _"This must be_ really _early in your timelines."_

"Nine hundred?" Farsight asked in bewilderment. The other occupants gave him the same curious glances that had been plaguing the recent conversations.

"Nine hundred four, actually," the Doctor clarified proudly. "I look rather good for my age, don't you think?" he asked.

Twilight's mouth was still hanging open. "You're nine hundred years old?"

"Nine hundred four, Miss Sparkle," he corrected. "It may sound old, but I'm actually quite young for my age."

_"And you're still the same as you will be,"_ Cap remarked. _"Well... a little."_

"Thank you!" the Doctor expressed happily.

_"I'm not particularly thrilled, actually."_

"My apologies."

"Wait, a minute!" Streak commanded. Her outburst immediately gained the attention of everypony within the room. "I need everyone to shut up for a moment!" Silence met her ears and she sighed. "Thank you. Now, before we assemble the rescue team, which will be headed by myself and Major Richter, I still have to break through the ship's security deadlocks. I'm trying my best, but I've had absolutely no luck."

Cap chuckled, but his laughter turned into a slight cough. _"Why,"_ he coughed again, _"didn't you say so?"_

_***THUNK!***_

**_*BREEEEEEEEE!*_**

Alarms began to blare throughout the station, and the traditional red lights flashed in warning. All of the occupants dropped what they were doing and sprinted for the central structure.

"Wh-what's happening?!" Farsight panicked, looking around in fear.

Richter and Streak exchanged excited glances and ran past Twilight, the Doctor, and Farsight.

"Where are you going?!" Twilight asked as they hurried by.

"It's opening!" Richter exclaimed joyously. The doors slid open to allow them passage, giving the rest of the ponies a brief look at the crews running running away from the control room. Then, the doors closed after the two of them passed through.

"What's opening?" the Doctor inquired over the racket.

"The ship," Held Fast pushed by the three of them in pursuit of Streak and Richter.

Twilight and the Doctor looked at the door. "Should we really follow them?" she asked him.

"Yeah," the Doctor answered. The two of them bolted through the doors with Farsight close behind.

"Wait for me!" Farsight shouted after them, leaving through the large doors.

* * *

_A/N: _I'm SUPER SORRY for the wait. I didn't know that this chapter would take so long, but the dialogue took forever for me to write out. I'm not exactly _that_ thrilled about this chapter, but I'm satisfied with the way that it turned out.

The next chapter won't have as long a wait, as I have already started writing and it's a part that I've been wanting to write for quite a while!


	4. Suited for Success (or Failure)

_**Chapter**** 3**_

_**Suited for Success (or Failure)**_

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; Rescue Station 2; 10,384 C.E.**

**_*BREEEEEEEEE! BREEEEEEEEE! BREEEEEEEEE!*_**

Streak and Richter raced through the rescue station's pathways and interweaving corridors, followed by Held, the Doctor, Twilight, Farsight, and the rest of the crew. The central dome was a large, enclosed structure, hundreds of feet in diameter. The center of the hemisphere housed a large, metal, triangular prism shaped construct that looked to be sloping down into the sand. The ponies all gathered around one side of it, nearly twenty feet up, it's width almost filling the entire room. Instead of a solid wall, there was a large set of doors that stretched up to fill the rectangle of steel.

"What is that?!" Twilight exclaimed as she and the Doctor entered the chamber.

"That, madam," Richter said, turning to her, "is the door. The door to the S.S. Starlight."

**_*HISSSSSSSSS!*_**

Everypony took a cautious step back as the doors slid open at a snail's pace. They inside of the ship spewed out white smoke and dust, filling the lungs of those gathered with twenty year old air. They all coughed as the air reached their lungs, especially Streak and Richter, who had been standing right in front of the gargantuan panels.

"Blimey!" the Doctor exclaimed between coughs.

Farsight caught a lungful of the stuff and sputtered, "Th- *cough* -that's disgust- *cough* -disgusting!"

_"Sorry about the air quality,"_ Cap's voice reverberated throughout the space. _"The air filters haven't been working so well in that section. They're most likely clogged with sand. Not much of a surprise, though."_

"I'll say!" Richter voiced.

As the crews waved the smoke and tainted air away from their muzzles, the clouds of vapor dissolved, leaving their views unobstructed. The large gap allowed by the now open doors revealed a dark hole that appeared to descend into the very heart of the planet, almost like a mine shaft.

"What the hell do you think is down there?" one pony asked, his accent resembling one from Trottingham.

"Good question," the Doctor answered.

"I second that," Twilight agreed.

Streak and Richter approached the slanting floor, peering into the depths of the structure. "There's only one way to find out," the former said. "Browning, Heart. I want an eight-pony team prepped in less than five minutes," Streak ordered without averting her gaze. "Get the ECS suits, as well. Don't really know what to expect."

"Yes, ma'am!" the two officers saluted before running off back into the station. Several other crew members followed, but a good amount remained behind.

"Um, ma'am," Held Fast approached the gaping maw of the opening, "are you sure about this? Eight ponies is more than enough for a rescue operation. What do you think you'll find?"

"I don't plan on finding anything," she replied. "I'm just curious."

"Ooh," Twilight leaned over to the Doctor, "I like her."

"She's not bad."

"She's familiar."

Twilight and the Doctor turned to Farsight. "What did you say?" they asked simultaneously.

"I don't know why," he said quietly, "but I feel like I've met her before."

_**=Location Unknown=**_

Cap watched the events unfold from the lens of a security camera, his maroon coat and silver mane dimly illuminated by the weak lighting. The black and white footage was clear as crystal, but the sound could have used some work. Hacking isn't what it once was, at least to him.

_"Blimey!"_ the Doctor's voice came out tinny and electronic, along with the coughs from all of the others.

_"Th- *cough* -that's disgust- *cough* -disgusting!"_ Cap watched the grey pony complain. Something about him looked very familiar.

"It can't be..." he said, his mouth curving into a grin.

"It could be him," Cap said, his tone of voice suddenly becoming very proper and refined.

"No," he frowned, voice returning to normal. "He shouldn't be here. Not now."

"You know that your lying to yourself."

"No, I'm just _disagreeing_ with _my_self," Cap retorted. He waited for himself to reply, but no answer came. "I take it you're done, now?" he questioned.

No answer, again.

"Good." Cap picked up his sonic screwdriver in his hoof and examined it closely, starting from the small, blue tip. He slowly ran a bright red hoof down the length of the cylindrical device. "It's always the same..." he said pensively, "... yet... always different."

_"... eight-pony team prepped in less than five minutes."_

Cap's head whipped up in surprise at Streak's command. "Eight-pony team?" he repeated quietly. His surprised expression slowly became one of heightened eagerness. "That's plenty."

**Sterret System; Planet of Castron; Southern Desert; Rescue Station 2; 10,384 C.E.**

"I want Browning to lead squad one, while you manage the second," Streak said to Richter as they both walked through the tubular connection corridors. Their hoofsteps were in perfect synchronization, and the metal floors reverberated with each step. "You're the most qualified, next to me."

"Is that a hint of self-assuredness, captain?" Richter grinned.

"Please, major, keep such comments to yourself. We're not just sitting around and playing cards, are we?" she reprimanded.

"My apologies, ma'am." The stallion's grin vanished, replaced with a serious expression, nearly identical to Streak's.

"Uh, excuse me," the Doctor interrupted, stepping between the pair, "but it's quite lonely back there-"

"Hey!" Twilight shouted from behind. The Doctor's unicorn companion frowned at him.

"No offense, Miss Sparkle. Anyway," he continued, "it appears that you are quite determined to get this unusual character out. A few minutes ago, you were saying that he couldn't even exist."

"That's why we were assigned this case," Richter answered. "There was a transmission received about a month ago that led us here."

"I thought you said that the hone-box stated that 'no one had survived?' A rescue team wouldn't investigate something that didn't need saving." the Doctor stated.

"We were assigned, here, and that's the end of it," Streak snapped. "Major, I expect my team ready in three minutes," she addressed Richter.

"Absolutely, captain," the stallion saluted. He ran off ahead of them, back toward the command center.

"And you, Doctor," Streak continued, "you're with me."

"May my companions accompany us?" the Doctor inquired.

"If they must."

"Splendid."

"Um, can I... hang back?" Farsight mumbled.

"If you need to," the Doctor said, casting a wary glance over his shoulder. "Though, I'd hate to be you, waiting around with a bunch of tough-looking equines with very large weapons."

"O-on second thought, I'll tag along. With you guys," Farsight glanced around nervously.

Twilight glared at the Doctor for his remark.

"What?" he asked.

They approached the command room and passed through the pressurized doorway, entering into a buzz of activity. Ponies were running back and forth, shouting out instructions that made almost no sense to any inexperienced individual. Streak continued on until she reached a vault at the end of the room, placing her hoof up against an illuminated panel. There was a small *beep* and the doors slid open. She and Richter entered the room, a storage zone, and began removing different supplies.

"Might I ask what you are doing?" the Doctor queried.

"Suiting up," Richter replied bluntly. "Heart, Browning!" he called out. The two ponies that had brought the travelers quickly entered the room, standing erect once inside. "You two will be in secondary command." Richter tossed a few pairs of the special suits over to them, "assemble a team."

"Yes, sir!" they said in unison, saluting before heading out.

Streak trotted over the the Doctor, Twilight, and Farsight, three suits on her back. "Take these," she instructed, hoofing them out to each of them. "They can go over anything else you may be wearing, including that suit of yours, Doctor." She hoofed the suit to Farsight and, lastly, Twilight. As Streak gave it to her, Twilight gazed at her intently.

"Do I... know you from somewhere?" Twilight asked, examining Streak.

"I doubt you know me," Streak replied curtly, pushing the suit into Twilight's hooves.

_"Actually, I'm pretty sure that you two have met before. In a sense,"_ Cap's voice crackled to life over the communications.

"I can't seem to recall us meeting anyone matching her description," the Doctor commented while struggling to get the suit on.

_"That's because_ you _haven't met her in_ your _timeline, yet."_

"Fair enough."

_"I have to ask,"_ Cap said, _"do you still have that overcoat that Janice Joplin gave you?"_

"Yes."

_"Well, it's useless, now, so you should consider placing it in storage."_

Held Fast entered the room at a slow trot. "Both of you just stop talking," he said as he brushed past the Doctor. He approached Streak, "I want a suit."

"Your request is denied," She answered. "You are a not trained for a rescue op. You are a civilian and are were only here for reference."

"I built this ship!" Held insisted. "I was given the right to examine the structural integrity and see if it could be deemed fit for salvage!"

"Well, it's my operation," Streak countered. "Now, please, just wait in the command center with the rest of the crew."

The Doctor trotted over to the conflicting pair. "Actually, I'd say that it was alright for him to tag along," he voiced. "If he was given an assignment in conjunction with yours, then it's perfectly alright. So long as he remains with us."

"Who gave you the authority to give orders?"

"I did," he said. The Doctor tried sliding his hooves through the elastic bands in the suit, but found it unbelievably difficult. He huffed and tossed it to the floor. "You know what? I'll just tough it out and go in without a suit!"

"Request denied," Streak repeated. "We don't know if any toxins or radiation is present within the vessel."

"I'm quite durable."

"No."

"I'm going in with or without you consent."

"Not unless we restrain you," Streak pointed out.

The Doctor grinned, giving a small chuckle. "I know you won't do that."

"And why not?"

"Because you want to know what's in there as much as I do."

Silence filled the room as Streak and the Doctor stared each other down. Twilight, who had successfully maneuvered herself into the suit, watched the two. Farsight, who was wearing his own suit, stood next to her. Everypony watched as the two of them just stood there. The Doctor had a smug expression, while Streak glared at him in annoyance.

"Richter, I want it on file that he denied a suit," Streak finally said, turning her head slightly.

"Will do, ma'am."

"I'll tell you this, Doctor," Streak said, her snout close to his. "If you die from anything that could have been prevented by the suit, then it's not my fault."

The Doctor grinned. "I can deal with that."

Streak looked around at the small squad before her and gave a subtle smile of approval. "All right, everypony. Let's go."

The Streak, Richter, Held, Browning, and Hart exited the room, followed by the remaining six team members. Twilight, Farsight, and the Doctor watched them pass and Twilight leaned in to the Doctor.

"Do you really think we need the suits?" she asked.

"I don't really know," he replied honestly. "I just had some trouble getting it on. Shall we go?" he asked happily.

* * *

_A/N: I am SSSOOOOOOO SORRY for the wait! My schedule's been flip-flopping constantly due to family obligations and other fictions that needed work. Forgive me for the delay._


End file.
